Tapping device.



E. M. HILL, J. C. ROTH"& 0. G. HARTPIELD.

' TAPPING DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 2B, 1910. 984,763.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Ff 2.20 252421 i narran s'r'rns Para 'r ernten.

ERNEST M. HILL, JOSEPH C. ROTH, AND OSCAR C. HARTFIELD, OF BUFFALO, NEW YORK.

TAPPING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

Application filed April 28, 1910. Serial No. 558,114.

To all whom t may concern.

Be it known that we, ERNEST M. HiLL, JOSEPH C. ROTH, and OSCAR C. HARTFIELD, citizens of the United States, residing at Buffalo, in the county of Erie and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Tapping Devices, of which the. following is a specification.

This invention relates to improvements in a tapping device for kegs, barrels and the like, for beer and other' liquids, and primarily to an improved construction of valved bushing to be utilized in connection therewith.

The principal objects of the invent-ion are to arrange a hollow rotary valve within the bushing, to cover and protect the outer and open end of the hollow rotary valve by a cap or plate which normally closes both the outer end of the hollow rotary valve and the bushing, and which when in its normal position is flush, or practically flush with the outer end surface of the bushing, and to utilize a tapping device, which is preferably in the form of a vfaucet or the like, to force the cap or plate inwardly in the hollow rotary valve and to turn the hollow rotary valve to open the same, and simultaneously therewith lock the tapping device to the bushing.

Other and subordinate objects are to provide a comparatively simple and durable construction having but few parts, which are fairly l-'arge and strong, and to so form, fit and arrange the parts that they may be very quickly assembled in, or dismounted from the bushing.

The invention also relates to certain details of construction which will be hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which a preferred adaptation of the invention is shown.

Figure l is a central, vertical longitudinal section through the improved valve bushing, showing a fragment of the inner or rear end of a tapping device in section attached thereto, the outer or frontl end closing cap or plate being in its inner depressed position, and the valve being in open position to permit the flow of liquor, a fragmentary section through a barrel also being shown in which the bushing is screwed. Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. l, but with the valve closed, with the outer or front end closing cap or plate in its outer and normal position, and the tapping device entirely omitted. Fig. 3 is a detached outer end view of the hollow valve, with the outer or front end closing cap or plate fitted therein. Fig. et is a detached outer face view of the bushing. Fig. 5 is a detached outer face view of the hollow valve. Fig. 6 is a detached outer face view of the inner or rear end closing cap or plate ofthe bushing. Fig. 7 is a detached View of the outer or front end closing plate. Fig. 8 is a detached view of the hollow ro- 'tary valve and its stem, the valve proper .stem in side elevation. Fig. 9 is a View looking toward the inner face of a fragment of a barrel having the improved bushing fitted therein. Fig. 10 is a detached rear end View of the tapping device. y

In referring to the accompanying drawings in detail, like numerals designate like parts.

Although the bushing may be constructed in many diderent ways, but one form, a preferred adaptation, is illustrated in the accompanying drawings. The bushing 1, as shown, 'is of a tubular cylindrical form, having a comparatively coarse exterior screw thread 2 for engagement in the bung hole of a barrel, and an outer end flange 3, which constitutes a shoulder to limit the entrance of the bushing into the barrel, in Figs. 1 and 2. The inner or rear end 4; of the bushing is reduced and interiorly screw-threaded, the screw threads extending forwardly from the inner end for a short distance, and the remainder of the interior circular wall being smooth surfaced, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Two inwardly extending opposed flanges are arranged on the outer end of the bushing, which project in the front mouth of the opening through the bushing, and constitute locking lips 5. These lips 5 have their inner or rear faces beveled or inclined, and a shoulder G is formed at one end of each beveled surface.

The inner end of the bushing is closed by an inner or rear closing cap 7 which is formed substantially as shown in Fig. G, and has an exterior screw thread which engages with the screw thread of the reduced inner portion of the bushing, and an outwardly projecting rear flange or .shoulder 8. The inner or rear end cap 7 is also provided with a cent-ral opening 9, and two side openings or ports 10, which form passages for the liquor when open. The outer or front end of the opening through the cylindrical bushing is normally closed by an outer or front end closing cap'. This cap is of a peculiar form, being shaped substantially as shown in Figs. 3 and 7, having a circular disk-like body 11 provided with two fairly Wide flanges 12 which extend oppositely from the edge of the disk-like body, and are adapted to fit in and close the intervening spaces between the locking lips 5 when the outer or front end closing cap is in its normal outer position. The outer or front end closing cap is also provided with two offset portions or lugs 13, which project outwardly from the edge of the body 11 and lap against the inner surfaces of the locking lips and thereby limit the outward movement of the end plate in the bushing. These offset portions or lugs are arranged oppositely to each other and between the flanges 12. A hollow or tubular valve element is arranged within the bushing and is adapted to be rot-ated, or partially rotated to open or close the valve. This hollow or tubular valve element consists of a cylindrical body 111, having an open outer end and a closed inner end, and grooves or slide ways are formed on the interior of the side body. These grooves or slide ways are arranged in opposed pairs and extend longitudinally of the body. One pair of said grooves constitute slide ways, in which the outer or front end closing cap is mounted so as to have a sliding movement therein. This pair of grooves is designated by the numeral 15 in the accompanying drawing. The two other grooves 1G are arranged oppositely to each other and at right angles to the first mentioned pair of grooves, and serve as ports or passageways for the liquid, and also provide passageways for the `offset portions or lugs 13 within the hollow rotary valve. The inner end of the hollow or tubular valve. element is closed by an end member 17, and the stem 18 of the valve is extended centrally and longitudinally rearward from the said end member. Openings or ports 19 for the passage of the liquor, are formed at suitable, points in thel end member 17, and are so arranged and located that they register with the openings or ports 10 in the rear end closing cap 7, when the valve is in its open position.

The valve stem is rotatably fitted through the central opening 9 in the inner or rear end closing cap, and has a Vprojecting end which in one part is flattened, as shown at 2.0 in Figs. 1, 2 and 8, and at another part is screw threaded, as shown at 2l in said figures. A combined scraper and outer valve element 22 is fitted on the iiattened portion of the stem, and is locked in place thereon by lock nuts Q3 and 24. A washer 25 may be tted between the lock nuts and the scraper if desired. The combined scraper and valve element 22 is of a peculiar form, having a flat front face which contacts closely at every point with the exterior face of the inner end cap, and two fairly deep substantially V-shaped recesses :26 cut in the edges of the scrap-er and located opposite to each other, as shown in Fig. 9. The combined scraper and outer valve element is unrotatably mounted on the stem in the manner heretofore set forth, and thus turns in unison with the hollow rotary valve within the bushing. A coil spring 27 is located within the hollow rotary valve, and bears with one end against the inner closed end of the hollow rotary valve and its opposite end against the outer or front end closing cap,

and thereby yieldingly maintains the outer or front end closing cap in its normal outer position. The tapping device employed in connection with this improved bushing is so constructed, formed and arranged that it may be inserted within the outer opening in the bushing. The inner or rear end of the tapping device is illustrated in Figs. 1 and 10, and consists of the tubular member 2S, having an exterior flange 29, a resilient washer 30 fitted on the tubular member and against the liange, and a pair of oppositely extending locking lugs 31, which engage with and against the inner inclined or beveled faces of the inwardly extending flanges of the bushing. In Fig. 1, the inner end of a suitable tapping device is shown with the oppositely extending locking lugs 31 of the tapping device lap-locked in place on the flanges of the bushing, and the hollow rotary valve turned to its open position. The passage followed by the liquor in flowing from the barrel is illustrated by arrows in Fig. 1. The rear end of the tapping device is provided with a centering projection 32 which is adapted to befitted in the centering recess 33 on the front face of the outer or front end closing cap to quickly and conveniently center the tapping device as it is inserted in the bushing. In tapping a barrel or keg provided with this improved valve bushing, the tapping device is pressed against the outer end cap, forcing it inwardly in the slide ways of the tubular rotary valve, and engaging the turning lugs 31 of the tapping device in the same pair of interior slide ways 16 in .the tubular rotary valve. A partial turning movement of the tapping device now gives a similar turning movement to the hollow rotary valve and the outer combined scraper and valve, rotating them sufficiently to free the opening or ports and allow the liquor to flow from the barrel or keg. The partial turning movement of the tapping device also draws the tapping device firmly and rigidly against the outer face of the bushing. This is due to the fact that the underside edges of the inwardly exl tending flanges or loc-king lips of the bushing are beveled or slanted so as to extend at a wedging angle. When the tapping device is in place in the bushing, and before it is turned, the outer side edges of the oppositely extending locking lugs 8l which project from the tapping device are in position to slide against the underside edges of the inwardly extending flanges of the bushing. The turning movement of the tapping device slides the outer side edges ot' the lugs 31 on the inner side edges of the inwardly eX- tending flanges of the bushing, and by reason of the slanting or beveled character of said side edges, draws andlirmly wedge locks the tapping device in tight unyielding connection to the bushing. The shoulders 6 serve as stops to limit the turning movement of the tapping device into locking position. The bushing and the component parts thereof are so arranged and assembled that they may all be completely separated and dismounted from each other by simply unscrewing the lock nuts and the inner or rear closing end cap of the bushing and then removing the various parts.

The hollow or tubular form of valve provides a casing, which, actingin conjunction with the outer end closing cap, completely incloses .and protects the tensioning spring, and both the tensioning spring and the outer end closing cap are supported by the valve. |Ihe outer end closing cap when in its normal outer position, is flush, or substantially flush, with the outer face of the bushing, and is so shaped that it will completely close the outer mouth of the opening in the bushing, so that the bushing when in normal position, practically presents a flat even outer surface unprovided with projections or recesses.

The valves are always closed when the tapping device is disconnected from the bushing, and as they are located respectively on opposite sides of the inner end cap, both ends ot' the openings or ports through the inner end cap are completely covered and protected.

I/Vhen the valves are open, the `tapping device is locked to the bushing and also is in direct engagement with the tubular rotary valve, and it cannot be disengaged from the tubular rotary valve or unlocked from the bushing without giving it a turning movement suflicient to close the valves.

This improved -valve bushing is easily cleaned or repaired, is perfectly sanitary and is very quickly and conveniently operated by a suitable tapping device.

This improved valve bushing may be utilized for various purposes besides being connected to a tapping device; for instance, a venting devicel could be connected to one of the bushings if desired. 'The form, construction and arrangement of the various parts may be varied or modified, or some of l them may be altogether omitted within the spirit and scope of the following claims, without departing from my invention.

We claim l. In a device of the class described, a combination with a tubular bushing, a hollow rotary valve in said bushing having interior slide ways, an outer end closing cap fitted to move in the slide ways of the hollow rotary valve, said cap being adapted to normally close the opening in the front end of the bushing and to be forced rearwardlly to free said opening by the insertion of a suitable tapping tool.

2. In a device ofthe class described, a coinbination with a tubular bushing, a hollow rotary valve in said bushing having interior slide ways, an outer end closing cap litted to move in the slide ways of the hollow rotary valve, said cap being adapted to normally close the opening in the front end of the bushing and to be forced rearwardly to free said opening by the insertion of a suitable tapping tool, said hollow rotary valve having direct means of attachment to a tapping device.

3. In a device of the class described, a combination with a tubular bushing, a hollow rotary valve in said bushing having interior slide ways, an outer end closing cap fitted to move in the slide ways of the hollow rotary valve, said cap being adapted to normally close the opening in the front end of the bushing and to be forced rearwardly to free said opening by the insertion of a suitable tapping tool, said hollow rotary valve having interior grooves in which the turning lugs of a tapping device are adapted to engage.

4. In a device of the class described, a combination with a tubular bushing, of a hollow rotary valve within the bushing, and caps closing t-he opposite ends of said bushing. one of said caps having' sliding supports in the hollow rotary valve.

5. In a device of the class described.` a combination with a tubular bushing, ofa hollow rotary valve within the bushing, and caps closing the opposite ends of said bushing, one of said caps being supported to slide in the hollow rotary valve, and the outer front face of said cap being normally in approximately flush position with respect to the front face of the bushing.

6. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tubular bushing having inwardly extending flanges, of a hollow rotary valve in said bushing, a cap closing the rear end of said bushing, and a front end closing cap in said bushing mounted to slide in the hollow rotary valve and having lugs engaging the inwardly extending flanges of the bushing to limit the outward movement of the cap. l

7. In a device of the class described, the

Combination with a tubular bushing having inwardly extending flanges, oi a hollow rotary valve in said bushing, a cap closing thel rear end of said bushing, and a front end closing cap in said bushing mounted to slide in the hollow rotary valve and having lugs engaging the inwardly extending iianges oi the bushing to limit the outward movement of the cap, and a tensioning spring within the hollow rotary valve for yieldingly maintaining the end cap in its outer position.

8. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tubular bushing having inwardly extending flanges, of a hollow rotary valve in said bushing, a cap closing the rear end of said bushing, a front end closing cap in' said bushing mounted to slide in the hollow rotary valve and having lugs engaging the inwardly extending flanges of the bushing to limit the outward movement or' the cap, and a tensioning spring within the hollow rotary valve for yieldingly maintaining the end cap in its outer position, said lugs being offset whereby the cap is practically flush with the outer surface of the bushing when in its normal position.

9. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing, a rear end closing cap for said bushing, a front end closing cap for said bushing, and a hollow rotary valve in the bushing having slide ways in which the front end closing cap has slidable engage.- ment, and a spring housed in the hollow rotary valve adapted to yieldingly maintain the front end closing cap in its normal outer position.

10. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing, a rear end closing cap for said bushing, a front end closing cap for said bushing, and a hollow rotary valve in the bushing having a plurality of interior grooves some of which constitute slide ways for the front end closing cap, and others of which constitute ports or passageways for the liquid past the front end closing cap.

11. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing, a rear end closing cap for said bushing having passages therethrough, a front end closing cap for said bushing,

and a `hollow rotary valve in the bushing having an open front end in which the front end closing cap is adapted to be supported, and having a closed rear end having passages therethrough, and a stem projecting rearwardly from the closed rear end and extending through an opening in the rear closing cap of the bushing.

12. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing, a rear closing cap .screwed G0 in the rear end of the bushing and having the passage of liquor adapted to register' with the ports in the rear end closing cap when the valve is in an open position, a stem extending rearwardly from the closed rear end of the valve and rotatably mounted in the central opening in the rear end closing plate, and a spring housed within the tubular rotary valve and bearing against the front closing cap.

13. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing, a rear closing cap screwed in the rear end of the bushing and having a central opening and two side ports for the passage of liquor, a front closing cap for said bushing movably arranged therein, a hollow rotary valve in the bushing having a closed rear end provided with ports for the passage of liquor adapted to register with the ports in the rear end closing cap when the valve is in an open position, a y

stem extending rearwardly from the closed rear end of the valve and rotatably mounted in the central opening in the rea-r end closing plate, a spring housed within the tubular rotary valve and bearing against the front closing cap, the stem of the rotary valve projecting beyond the rear closing cap, and a combined scraper and outer valve element attached to said projecting end of the stem. 95

14. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing, a rear closing cap screwed in the rear end of the bushing and having a central opening and two side ports for the passage of liquor, a front closing cap for said bushing movably arranged therein, a hollow rotary valve in the bushing having a closed rear end provided with ports for the passage of liquor adapted to register with the ports in 'the rear end closing cap 105 when the valve is in an open position, a stem extending rearwardly from the closed rear end of the valve and rotatably mounted in the central opening in the rear end closing plate, a spring housed within the tubular rotary valve and bearing against the front closing cap, the stem of the rotary valve project-ing beyond the rear closing cap and being in part flattened and in `part screw-threaded, a combined scraper and outer valve element fitted on the flattened portion of the stem, and lock nuts screwed on the screw-threaded portion of said stem.-

15. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing having a closed inner end provided with an opening or port for the flow of liquor, a hollow rotary valve within the bushing having a corresponding opening or port, and a front end closing cap for the bushing yieldingly mounted and sup- 'ported in the hollow ot the rotary valve.

1G. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing having a closed inner end provided with an opening or port for the flow of liquor, a hollow rotary valve within the bushing having a corresponding opening or port, a front end closing cap for the bushing yieldingly mounted and supported in the hollow of the rotary valve, and a tensioning spring for the front end closing cap completely housed within the hollow rotary valve.

17. In a device of the class described, two tubular elements one rotatably mounted within the other, one of said elements constituting the bushing proper and the other forming a valve, and means for yieldingly closing the outer front end of the opening in the bushing.

18. In a device of the class described, two tubular elements one rotatably mounted within the other, one of said elements constituting the bushing proper and the other forming a valve, and means for yieldingly closing the outerfront end ot the opening in the bushing, said means having sliding support in the inner tubular element.

19. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing having a closed inner end provided with an opening or port for the flow of liquid, and a central opening, and a tubular rotary valve in the bushing having a stem extending through the central opening in the inner end of the bushing, and an opening adapted to r-egister with the port in the inner end of t-he bushing when the valve is in open position, a spring housed within the tubular valve, and a front end closing cap for the bushing against which the outer end of the spring bears.

20. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing having a closed inner end provided with a port for the passage of liquor, and inner and outer rotary valves located on opposite sides of the closed inner end of the bushing and connected to each other to operate in unison, the inner valve within the bushing being hollow, and a yieldingly mounted front end closing cap for the bushing supported in the hollow ot said rotary valve.

21. In a device ot the class described, the

.combination with a tubular bushing, a valve element within the bushing, a front end closing cap in said bushing, and a rear end closing cap in said bushing, all of said elements being removable from the bushing upon the detachment therefrom of the rear end closing cap.

22. In a device of the class described, the combination with a tubular bushing, caps for closing the opposite ends of the opening through the bushing, one ot said caps having sliding support and the other being detachably screwed to the bushing, and a hollow valve within the bushing in which the first mentioned cap is slidably mounted.

23. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing having a closed inner end provided with a port for the passage of liquid, and an open outer mouth, a hollow rotary valve in the bushing in operative proximity t0 the inner end of the bushing, having a corresponding' port for the passage of liquid, and a front end closing cap supported to slide in the hollow ot' the rotary valve and adapted to be normally in position to close the outer mouth of the bushing and to be moved rearwardly within the hollow of the rotary valve by the insertion of a tapping device in the bushing.

24. In a device ot the class described, the combination with a bushing, of a hollow rotary valve in said bushing, a front end closing cap in the bushing, and tensioning means for said end closing cap housed within the hollow rotary valve.

25. In a device of the class described, a tubular bushing having an open outer mouth and inwardly extending locking lips in combination with a yieldingly mounted front end closing cap adapted to close the open front mouth of the bushing, and having offset lugs in lapping engagement with the lool@ ing lips of the bushing.

ERNEST M. HILL. JOSEPH C. ROTI-I. OSCAR C. HARTFIELD. Witnesses:

CARL I-I. SMITH, HENRY J. DRAKE. 

